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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24072550">my ghost, where'd you go?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/yashvirebecchis/pseuds/yashvirebecchis'>yashvirebecchis</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Neighbours (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, F/F</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:13:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,826</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24072550</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/yashvirebecchis/pseuds/yashvirebecchis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"My ghost<br/>Where'd you go?<br/>I can't find you in the body sleeping next to me<br/>My ghost<br/>Where'd you go?<br/>What happened to the soul you used to be?"</i>
</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>What if you got a second chance with the love of your life? </p>
<p>When Elly and Chloe meet for the first time, they’re immediately drawn to one another, but neither of them have any idea why. </p>
<p>Told in two perspective timelines, this is a love story that defies death. </p>
<p>[WARNING! contains: mentions of death, suicide, homophobia, and violence. please read at your own risk.]</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aaron Brennan/David Tanaka, Chloe Brennan/Elly Conway, Mark Brennan/Elly Conway</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>hi! this is a repost of one of my previous works. i wanted to revise it slightly so i just decided to start over :) hope you enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>1985</b>
</p>
<p>When Evelyn’s photo flashes on the television screen, Callie drops the glass of water she was holding. She doesn’t even feel the small pieces of shard glass drop onto her bare feet. She ignores the cold water seeping into the material of her blue jeans.</p>
<p>The news anchor’s words barely register but she catches the significant parts: “car crash...three vehicles...speeding...two victims...a 22 year-old woman…Evelyn Campbell…”. Her hands are shaking, as the tears spill down her cheeks. She feels her throat closing up, tightening so much that she can’t even scream like she wants to. No. No. No. It can’t be real. It’s someone else. They just used the wrong photo. They made a mistake. It had to be a mistake.</p>
<p>Somewhere in her subconscious, she knows it's true. But she still runs to the kitchen to the phone, snatching it off the hook. She punches in the numbers (she knows them off by heart) and clutches the headset, knuckles turning white, as she listens to the continuous ringing sound.</p>
<p>"The number you have reached is unavailable at this time... Please call back later."</p>
<p>As she watches the TV change to live footage, she sees the destroyed cars. She sees the blue and red sirens. Her stomach begins to turn, making her feel nauseous.</p>
<p>Evelyn was… She was… Callie can’t even think about it. The news anchor moves on to the next story but Callie isn’t listening anymore. She can’t move. Her chest begins to get heavier and heavier, as her breathing begins to shorten.</p>
<p>She walks back to the living room, her bare feet dragging across the tiles.</p>
<p>She doesn’t remember falling to the floor but she gathers her knees to her chest and begins to sob. Callie just saw Evelyn yesterday. They went to the cinema and held hands in the dark where no one could see them. And in the car, Evelyn pecked Callie’s cheek before stepping out of Callie’s car. She waved to Callie from her doorstep and mouthed ‘I love you’ before stepping inside. Callie didn’t know it then, but it was the last time she would see her.</p>
<p>When Callie’s mother arrives home 2 hours later, the television is still on and the water from Callie’s glass has now dried on the floor. Glass is still scattered all over the floor. The blood from the accidental cuts has dried up. Callie didn't even realise she was bleeding. Callie isn’t crying anymore, but she’s been staring at the wall for the past hour, knees still pulled to her chest.</p>
<p>“Callie, what the hell happened?” Callie’s mother asks, running to where her daughter is leaning against the couch. “Oh my goodness, the glass.” Her mother begins to pick up the large pieces of the broken glass, before turning to her broken daughter. “What’s up, honey?”</p>
<p>Callie’s eyes finally focus on her mother. Her eyes are stinging from crying so much and she’s sure her mother can see the redness in them. She struggles to find the words to speak. “Evelyn…” Her voice cracks on the third syllable. “Evelyn… she…” Callie can’t bring herself to say it out loud. The word is right on the tip of her tongue but she can’t force it out, no matter how hard she tries. Once she says it, the reality will settle in and she still hasn't processed the fact that this is even happening. She clears her throat and tries again. “Evelyn… she’s… gone.”</p>
<p>Callie’s mother looks confused for a second, but then her facial expression changes into one of understanding. “Oh…”</p>
<p>Even though Callie’s mother didn’t know the extent of their relationship — no one did — she knew they were close. Callie’s mother wraps her arm around her daughter, pulling her close to her chest. “Oh, sweetie… I’m so sorry.”</p>
<p>Callie begins to cry again, hugging her mother tightly as she softly strokes her daughter’s back. Callie’s mother lets her cry and cry until all her tears dry up.</p>
<p>Callie’s mother offers to make dinner but Callie shakes her head. Callie walks down the hall to her bedroom and collapses onto her bed. She catches a glance of the photobooth strip on her bedside table. It’s one of her and Evelyn from their first ‘date’. It wasn’t really a date but they both realised it was afterwards. It was a running joke between them that they were both clueless about each other’s feelings at first.</p>
<p>Callie’s heart aches as she looks at Evelyn’s face, now only a memory in a photograph. She notices Evelyn's bright smile in the 4th photo, the one of her and Callie squeezing each other tightly, faces pressed up against one another. Her eyes fill up with tears again, remembering the way Evelyn smiled in the exact same way when Callie kissed her for the first time. They were in Evelyn's bedroom, and Evelyn's eyes widened with shock when Callie leaned in. But then Evelyn kissed her back and everything shifted. Ever since that first kiss, they knew they would only ever belong to one another.</p>
<p>She couldn’t believe Evelyn was gone. She couldn’t live without Evelyn. She didn’t want to live without her.</p>
<p>Callie’s hands grip the photo as she walks towards the bathroom. She doesn’t want to be without Evelyn. She opens up the medicine cabinet, filled with her mother’s pills. Callie’s mind keeps repeating Evelyn’s name over and over again as she looks at the pill bottles. She grabs a random one and holds it in her shaky hand, her and Evelyn’s photo in the other hand. She hears her mother’s bedroom door close; the house is silent. The only sound she can hear is the sound of her own heartbeat.</p>
<p>Callie places the photo down on the counter and screws off the top of the pill bottle. She doesn’t know what she’s doing but she can’t think straight right now. She pours out a handful of pills and stares at them in her hand. They’re white and round. Sleeping pills, she thinks she remembers reading on the label. What if this doesn’t work? What if she just wakes up fine? What if her mother finds her, and they send her to the hospital to pump her stomach?</p>
<p>She doesn’t even know how many to take. She thinks there’s about 10 pills in her hand... maybe that was enough. Before she can overthink it, she shoves them into her mouth, then swallows them down with a glass of water. She can feel them slowly descend in her chest as she coughs, resisting the urge to gag. She glances at the photo of her and Evelyn on the counter — she can feel the tears forming in her eyes again. She angrily wipes her faces with the sleeve of her jumper. How long would this take? She waits a few minutes but then realises that maybe sleeping pills weren't enough.</p>
<p>She quietly opens the bathroom door and slowly walks into the kitchen. She opens the alcohol cabinet that was usually reserved for guests and pulls out a bottle of whiskey. She drinks a few gulps and waits. She tries to turn around and go back to her room but her head spins. Was this it? Callie grips the edge of the kitchen counter and tries to steady herself. After a few seconds, she tries to walk again but her body is becoming weaker — she collapses, hitting the cold, kitchen tiles with a thump.</p>
<p>The last thing she sees is their cat curled up on a cushion, fast asleep, blissfully unaware of the world; the last thing she hears is her mother shouting from down the hall ‘Cal, is everything okay?’; the last thing she thinks of is Evelyn, before everything fades to black.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>2018</b>
</p>
<p>“It’s so good to see you,” Mark exclaims, as he wraps his arms around his little sister. “You’ve been gone for too long.” </p>
<p>Chloe giggles as she squeezes Mark back even tighter. She hadn’t seen her brother in 3 years and it was so good to hold him again. </p>
<p>“It’s good to see you too, big bro.” She pulls back from the hug and holds onto her suitcase again. “Anything interesting happening around here?” </p>
<p>She glances around the complex. It is so different from what she was used to. It already felt like home and she hadn’t even been here for an hour. The small cafe they were in front of was small and quaint, a good and necessary change from the mountains and trees she had been surrounded by for the past six months. It was good to finally settle somewhere; although she loved backpacking across the world, she knew it was better for her to be here, with her brothers. </p>
<p>“Oh, no, not much,” Mark says, placing his hands on his hips. “I’m sure your life has been way more interesting than mine.”</p>
<p>“As usual,” Chloe chimes in, a cheeky smile on her lips. She points to a table. “Shall we sit? We have so much to catch up on.” </p>
<p>“Yeah of course,” Mark says. “You grab a seat and I’ll get us some coffees. You still get a skim milk latte?”</p>
<p>“Actually, it’s almond milk now,” Chloe corrects him with a tiny smile. </p>
<p>Mark nods. “No worries. I’ll be back.” </p>
<p>She watches her brother as he heads towards the counter to order. </p>
<p>A couple of minutes later, Mark returns and slides into the chair opposite Chloe. </p>
<p>The two siblings immediately begin sharing stories about their lives from the past few years. Chloe’s mostly about her travel and Mark about work. From their conversation, it’s easy to tell how different they are from one another. How different their priorities are. </p>
<p>Mark and Chloe usually didn’t agree on much. They were the most opposite to each other out of all their siblings. Sure, all siblings had their differences but Mark and Chloe were so different that it was hard to believe they were from the same family. Still, they chatted happily as they sipped on their coffees. </p>
<p>They talk until the sun starts setting outside and customers are beginning to pick up their takeaway dinners. Mark thanks Dipi and grabs Chloe’s suitcase. She gives him a small smile to show her appreciation. </p>
<p>As they are exiting the cafe, a woman almost crashes into them. Elly. A smile lights up Mark’s face as he focuses on the gorgeous brunette in front of him. </p>
<p>“Elly! Hey!” Mark exclaims. Elly’s eyes glance quickly to Chloe before focusing back on Mark. Chloe, however, stares at Elly as the two exchange words. Elly is stunning, so beautiful that Chloe is instantly captivated by her. But it’s not just this stranger’s beauty that is causing Chloe to stare at her. There’s something in her heart that feels like she’s met this person before, even though she doesn’t look familiar at all. It’s her presence, her energy, that is drawing Chloe to her. Elly glances briefly again at Chloe before Mark cuts off his sentence, almost as if he just remembered Chloe was here too. </p>
<p>“Oh, I’m so sorry, this is Chloe,” Mark says eventually, placing a hand on his sister’s back. “My younger sister.” </p>
<p>Chloe snaps out of her thoughts, before extending her hand and plastering a bright smile on her face. “Chloe. It’s nice to meet you.”</p>
<p>Elly stretches her own hand towards Chloe but before they can properly shake, Chloe suddenly pulls her hand away. When Elly touched her finger tips, it was as if an electric shock went up her arm. Images suddenly flash in her mind and she realises it was a part of the dream she had last night. At first she thought it was just a dream, but now it felt more vivid...It felt more like a memory. </p>
<p>Elly glances at Chloe curiously and she can feel Mark staring at her, too. </p>
<p>In her mind, she sees two women; their faces are shadows but their voices and actions are clear. They smile and laugh shyly as they exchange words. She can barely make out their words, but she thinks she hears their names: “Callie” and “Eveyln”. </p>
<p>Chloe feels tears spilling down her cheeks and she doesn’t know why. She feels someone shaking her arm but she can’t move. Someone is calling her name but it doesn’t sound like “Chloe”. It sounds like “Callie”. She tries to shake the memory-- no, the dream-- it’s just a dream, from her mind, but she can’t. </p>
<p>Now she feels like she can’t breathe properly. Her chest feels heavy, as she tries to gasp for air. Her heart feels like it’s going to burst out of her chest. She shuts her eyes tightly, and waits for all of it to be over. </p>
<p>Mark is shaking her arm and rubbing her back. She can hear her name clearly now. “Chloe, Chloe! Hey! Chloe!” </p>
<p>The images disappear from her mind. Her vision is blurry; she blinks a few times to get rid of her tears. She looks up at Elly first, who is staring at her with a confused, yet concerned expression. Then she focuses on Mark. </p>
<p>“Are you okay, Chlo? You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Mark says, still holding on to her arm. </p>
<p>“I… I’m fine,” Chloe stutters, her voice now a small whisper. “I’m sorry. I… I don’t know what happened.” </p>
<p>“It looked like you were having a panic attack or something,” Mark says, glancing once at Elly, then focusing back on his sister. “Are you sure you’re okay?” </p>
<p>Chloe nods, wrapping her arms around herself. “I’m fine. Sorry.” She glances at Elly. “I’m sorry. It was nice meeting you.” She bows her head and walks out of the cafe, hearing Mark’s apologies behind her and then running after her, Chloe’s suitcase rattling behind him. Elly glances after them, before shaking her head and heading inside Harold’s. </p>
<p>Mark tries talking to Chloe on the ride home but she doesn’t say a word. She just stares out the window and tries to forget what happened earlier. It was a panic attack. A simple panic attack. But she still doesn’t know why Elly seemed so familiar to her. And she couldn’t even begin to think of what that vision meant. </p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Elly gathers up her papers in a folder and pushes her chair underneath her desk. She lets out a deep sigh, before stretching her arms above her head. She glances at her watch. It’s already 7PM and she’s been here since school ended, grading essays. The school is empty now and Elly is the last one here. She switches off the light in her classroom and heads down the quiet hallway; the only sound she can hear is the echo of her heels hitting the linoleum floor. </p>
<p>She collapses into the seat of her car, letting out a yawn. She received a text from Susan about an hour ago asking where she is. She tells Susan she’s heading home now. </p>
<p>Elly lets her mind wander about random things while driving. She doesn’t think about her day or tomorrow’s work day or the 18 essays she just read on Shakespeare’s Hamlet. She, instead, thinks about what she’s going to have for dinner. She missed dinner with Karl, Susan and Bea, so she’s made the decision to stop at Harold’s. </p>
<p>She pulls up in the parking lot, noticing Mark’s car parked a few spaces away. Her heart begins to race a little faster as she locks her car, walking towards Harold’s. </p>
<p>Just as she’s about to open the door to the cafe, it swings open and reveals Mark and a woman with long, blonde hair. </p>
<p>Mark smiles at Elly after they’ve both recovered from the almost collision. Elly shifts her eyes for a second to the woman standing next to Mark. She doesn’t recognise her, but Elly finds it difficult to keep her eyes on Mark. There’s something about her that feels familiar. </p>
<p>As Elly focuses on her conversation with Mark, she feels the woman’s gaze on her. Usually, seeing another woman standing next to Mark would make Elly jealous, but Mark tells her that the woman — Chloe — is his sister. Elly smiles politely at Chloe and extends her hand to join Chloe’s already extended one. </p>
<p>But, as soon as they touch, Chloe quickly lets go. Elly isn’t sure what she’s done wrong but Chloe suddenly looks upset. No, not just upset. She looks… scared. Terrified. Elly glances between Mark and Chloe, searching for an explanation. Mark is trying to talk to Chloe, but she’s not responding. She’s frozen, her eyes widened, tears brimming her lashes. </p>
<p>Elly watches as Chloe suddenly recovers. Elly stands there in silence as Mark tries to console Chloe but Chloe ensures him that everything is fine. She quickly apologises to Elly and Elly doesn’t know what to say, so she just gives her a small smile. Chloe takes off then, Mark quickly saying his goodbyes to Elly before running after his sister.  </p>
<p>“Chloe! Wait up!” Mark yells, trying to catch up to her. </p>
<p>Elly watches them until they are no longer visible. Chloe… She’s heard the name come up in many conversations before, but she had never seen any photos of her. Now, seeing her, Elly has a weird feeling in her stomach. Not a bad feeling, but she feels like she’s met Chloe before. Maybe because she’s heard so much about her from Mark and Aaron that she feels like she already knows her… </p>
<p>Elly thinks about Chloe as she orders her food. Elly also wonders why she acted so strange as soon as they touched hands. It was probably unrelated to Elly herself, but she couldn’t help thinking it had something to do with her.</p>
<p>Elly also feels like she needs to see Chloe again, as soon as possible. Maybe she only wanted to get to know Mark’s sister better, but Elly feels drawn to her in the way she would normally feel drawn to a man. Chloe was a stranger who she barely knew anything about, but Chloe also felt like someone she had known her entire life. </p>
<p>“Elly.”</p>
<p>Someone is calling her name. </p>
<p>“Elly?”</p>
<p>Elly snaps out of her thoughts and she settles into the reality around her. Dipi is standing at the counter, holding a takeaway container in her hands. </p>
<p>“Mm?” Elly asks, blinking faster than normal. </p>
<p>“Your food is ready,” Dipi says slowly, her brows knotted. “Everything alright? You seemed pretty out of it.”</p>
<p>Elly shakes her head. “Oh, right.” She takes the container from Dipi’s hands, thanking her. “I’m all good, Dipi. See you.” </p>
<p>Elly turns away before Dipi can say anything else and heads out of the cafe, back to her car. </p>
<p>She takes a deep breath, her eyes fluttering closed as she slams the door to her car. Elly doesn’t know why Chloe keeps running through her mind. She only just met her and she already can’t stop thinking about her. It was strange. Elly tries reaching into her subconscious but she gets nothing. She shakes her head. This was silly. Chloe was Mark’s sister. Of course she felt connected to her. She starts her car and heads home. She was tired and all this overthinking was just a symptom of that. </p>
<p>When she gets home, she eats her dinner and collapses in bed soon after, exhausted from her long day. </p>
<p>***</p>
<p>That night, Chloe has another dream, similar to the one she had last night. It’s the same two women again.  </p>
<p>They are close, closer than best friends. Girlfriends? </p>
<p>In this dream, they are in a park. It’s nighttime and their hands are intertwined. The brunette woman has her head resting on the blonde woman's shoulder. </p>
<p>
  <i>The blonde woman turns to the other. “Hey, do you believe in the afterlife?”

</i>
</p><p>
  <i>The brunette lifts her head off the blonde's shoulder. “Like, heaven and stuff?”

</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Yeah, I guess,” the blonde says. “I don’t think I do.”

</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Aren’t we supposed to believe that?” the brunette reminds her. “We are Catholics.”

</i>
</p><p>
  <i>The blonde shrugs. “I’m not so sure what I believe in anymore.”

</i>
</p><p>
  <i>After a moment of silence, the blonde asks another question. “What about reincarnation?”

</i>
</p><p>
  <i>The brunette raises her eyebrows at the other woman who is grinning up at her. “What is with all these questions?”

</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Hey, come on,” the blonde says. “It’s fun to think about this stuff.”

</i>
</p><p>
  <i>The other woman shifts her body so she’s turning towards the blonde woman. “You sure everything’s alright?”

</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Of course,” she says. “I’ve just been thinking about this stuff lately. Like… for example… if we both die—”

</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Hey,” the brunette interrupts, gripping the blonde's hand tighter. “Don’t talk like that.”

</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Life doesn’t last forever, Evie,” the blonde says. “We’re all going to die eventually.”

</i>
</p><p>
  <i>The brunette— Evie?—purses her lips but lets the blonde continue. 

</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“If we die, do you think that’s it, like we just are buried and our souls go to heaven or… do you think we get reincarnated and come back in a different body? But it’s our souls in those bodies?”

</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Evie seems lost in thought for a moment as the blonde looks at her. “I… I don’t know. What do you think?”

</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“I think that when we die, we will get reincarnated and find each other again in our new lives,” she answers, like she’s been preparing the answer for a while. “I think we’re meant to be together, no matter what, so I believe that, in our next lives, we’ll be together, too.”

</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Evie smiles at her, surprised by her answer. To Evie, it seems impossible, only something to be found in a fantasy novel. But… maybe… Maybe she was right. 

</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“That’s quite romantic, Callie,” the brunette says. “Don’t let people see this side of you. Most of them aren’t used to it.”

</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Oi!” Callie exclaims. “I can be romantic when I wanna be.”

</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“I know.”

</i>
</p><p>
  <i>The two women smile at each other before leaning in for a brief kiss.</i>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>1982</b>
</p>
<p>“Okay everyone, thank you for listening,” the professor announced, the students in front of him already packing up their belongings. It was hard to hear him over the rustling of backpacks and the whispers of chatter, but Evelyn continued to pay attention. “Please remember to read Chapters 3 and 4 before next week’s lecture. That is all, have a great day!” </p>
<p>The whispers grew louder as the students piled out of the lecture room. Evelyn was still packing her things when she felt someone tap her shoulder. She jumps a little from the sudden touch and turns her head to see a girl towering over her. </p>
<p>“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” the girl says, a friendly smile on her lips. “I just wanted to introduce myself. I’m Callie.” </p>
<p>She had seen this girl a few times in her classes but they had never spoken to one another. They always sat a few rows apart — Evelyn towards the front and Callie closer to the back. Now that Evelyn was looking at her, really looking at her, she realised that she was very pretty. </p>
<p>“I’m Evelyn,” she says, standing up and swinging her backpack on her shoulder. She extends a hand and they shake. Callie’s hands feel warm, as if they’re always that way, even when it’s freezing outside. </p>
<p>Callie smiles wider as she grips Evelyn’s hand. The two girls walk side by side as they exit the room; they are the last ones out apart from the professor. Callie speaks first. “I’ve actually been wanting to introduce myself for a while now. You seem really cool. I loved your answer to the professor’s question today. So insightful.”</p>
<p>Evelyn didn’t think anyone but her professor was paying attention to her, and she feels heat rush to her cheeks. “Oh. Thank you so much. I just said whatever was on my mind.”</p>
<p>“Well it was great,” Callie continues. “Your mind seems fascinating.”</p>
<p>Evelyn didn’t know what to say. She can feel the blush grow warmer on her cheeks and her smile becomes wider. She had really never heard anyone say that to her before. </p>
<p>“Do you have a break now?” Callie asks. “I was thinking we could grab some lunch together.”</p>
<p>“That sounds great,” Evelyn agrees. “I’ve got two hours before my next class.”</p>
<p>“Awesome!” Callie exclaims. </p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Callie can’t help but steal glances at her. As the girl focuses on the lecture, Callie’s eyes are focused on her. Her short brunette hair framed her face perfectly; the round glasses that sat on her nose were so endearing; Callie thought she was beautiful. </p>
<p>When she raises her hand to answer the professor’s question, Callie listens intensely. Callie smiles to herself as she watches the girl’s hands wave around as she passionately explains her answer. Callie has been trying to build up the courage to go up to her for weeks now, and she thinks that maybe, today would finally be the day. </p>
<p>The professor announces that the lecture has come to an end, and Callie quickly packs her stuff away. Everyone around her starts to leave and she notices that the girl has not even packed her things away yet. She was still scribbling something in her notebook. Callie smiles to herself again, shaking her head. </p>
<p>As she waits for the rows around her to clear, she stands, walking slowly towards the brunette in the third row, who has just started packing her things away. </p>
<p>Callie reaches a shaky hand out, and taps her lightly on the shoulder. She sees her shoulders hunch in fear and hopes she didn’t frighten her. </p>
<p>“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Callie says, making sure to flash her best smile. “I just wanted to introduce myself. I’m Callie.” </p>
<p>She watches the girl’s eyes as they scan Callie’s face, before she smiles and introduces herself. Evelyn. Her name was Evelyn. Callie couldn’t stop thinking about how pretty her name was. She wanted to tell her that right away, but she kept it to herself. As they exchange a handshake, Callie thinks about how Evelyn’s hand fits perfectly in hers. As they walk out of the classroom, and Callie says things that make Evelyn smile, Callie can’t help but think how gorgeous Evelyn’s smile is. </p>
<p>And as they chat about many things over lunch and Callie realises how well they get along, she hopes that this was the beginning of something that would last forever. </p>
<p>
  <b>1985</b>
</p>
<p>The church empties as quickly as it filled up. As the mourners trail out of the church doors in a sea of black, Ms Baker doesn’t move from her seat in the front row. She simply stares at the framed photo of her daughter, surrounded by a wreath of flowers. </p>
<p>A few minutes later, someone lightly touches her shoulder.</p>
<p>“Ms Baker,” a soft, feminine voice says. </p>
<p>Ms Baker looks up to see Mrs Campbell staring back at her with glossy eyes. </p>
<p>“Oh,” Ms Baker whispers, wiping the leftover tears on her cheeks. “Nancy… I didn’t expect you to still be here.”</p>
<p>Nancy rubs Ms Baker’s shoulder gently. “Everyone’s pretty much left. Come on. Let’s go home.”</p>
<p>Ms Baker stands from the pew, giving her daughter one last glance, before exiting the church, arm in arm with Nancy. </p>
<p>“It was a beautiful funeral,” Nancy says, as they walk to the parking lot. “Callie would’ve loved it.”</p>
<p>Ms Baker hasn’t smiled for the past two weeks but a tiny smile appears on her lips. “Yes, I think she would, too.”</p>
<p>The two women fall silent for a few moments before Nancy breaks it. “Our daughters… They were beautiful girls… I still… I still can’t believe it.”</p>
<p>Ms Baker notices the tears in her friend’s eyes. “Me neither. It’s still a shock not hearing her around the house, you know.”</p>
<p>“Lydia,” Nancy says after another beat of silence. “Are you sure you’re okay being on your own?”</p>
<p>Lydia isn’t. But she hasn’t told anyone that. Admitting that she needs someone was always a sign of weakness for her. Her own mother taught her to be independent and she would never want to disappoint her mother. It was something she had instilled in Callie as well. Lydia nods. </p>
<p>“I’ll be okay,” she says, gritting her teeth. She takes out her keys from her clutch. </p>
<p>Nancy reaches out a hand to touch Lydia’s arm. “You’re invited to come over anytime, though. We need to get through this together.” </p>
<p>Lydia nods, wrapping an arm around Nancy. “Thank you,” she whispers in Nancy’s ear. Lydia hopes Nancy knows how much it means to her. Lydia had no one. It was nice to have a friend, especially right now. </p>
<p>Nancy squeezes her friend tightly before pulling away and saying her goodbyes. </p>
<p>Even though neither of them never had any confirmation of their daughters’ relationship with one another, they each had their suspicions. The way Ms Baker would see Callie and Evelyn sitting close to each other on Callie’s bed whenever Evelyn came over to watch a movie. Or when they all went out for dinner and Callie gave Evelyn half of her pad thai and Evelyn gave Callie half of her red curry. Nancy and Lydia had met through their daughters, and although they had never been that close, the loss of their daughters had united them forever. </p>
<p>On her way home, Nancy turns on the radio because she can’t stand the silence any longer. Nancy immediately recognises the song that’s playing. It was one of Callie’s favourites. She used to blast it from the radio in her room and Nancy would bang on her door, yelling at her to turn it down. She never did. If she knew Callie would soon be gone, she would have let her play it even louder. </p>
<p>Nancy’s vision becomes blurry and she knows she’s crying again. She turns up the volume on the radio and thinks of Callie on the drive back to her empty house.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>2018</b>
</p>
<p>It had been a week since Chloe arrived in Erinsborough and she was surprisingly settling in okay. She’d met half the street already, everyone greeting her with friendly smiles and warm handshakes. One person that stuck out to her was Leo Tanaka, her brother’s husband’s brother. </p>
<p>They had met when Leo had come over a few days ago. Chloe had always been one to gel with people really quickly and Leo was no exception. They had clicked instantly, exchanging a few flirty lines of dialogue here and there. Leo had mentioned that he lived in the local hotel’s penthouse, along with his father, who owned the entire place. Eventually, they got onto the topic of Chloe’s unemployment and Leo had mentioned that the manager of the hotel was actually looking for an assistant. Chloe had told Leo she had no experience, but Leo insisted that there would be on-the-job training. He made a phone call and Chloe was now sitting in the lobby of Lassiters Hotel, waiting to be called up to the main office for an interview. </p>
<p>She glances around the busy lobby, staff dashing around to greet customers. There are about 5 other people waiting with her, and they all look way more experienced and professional than her. Their clothes were way more put together than hers; she felt left out. She wasn’t sure what her chances were at getting this job, but they seemed pretty low. She is considering walking out of here and never looking back when someone calls her name. </p>
<p>“Chloe Brennan?” </p>
<p>She looks up to find a younger man with facial hair and mousy brown hair staring expectantly in her direction. </p>
<p>She gathers her stuff and raises her hand. “Yes, that’s me!” </p>
<p>He gestures for her to follow him and she does. First one in? That couldn’t be a good sign, right? They’d forget about her by the time they got to the last person. </p>
<p>The elevator ride up to the office is silent and the man sees her off at the door, telling her to knock and wait to be let in. </p>
<p>She knocks and a soft, feminine voice calls out, “Come in!” </p>
<p>When Chloe enters the office, there’s a woman seated at the table, a phone in her hand, as she waves at Chloe and points to the empty chair in front of her. </p>
<p>“That’s great,” she says into the phone. “Yes… Okay, I’ll see you then. Bye, honey.” She hangs up the phone and smiles brightly at Chloe. “I’m so sorry about that. I’m Terese Willis, the manager of Lassiters Erinsborough.” She extends a hand across the table and Chloe shakes it. <br/>“I’m Chloe Brennan,” she says, handing her resume to Terese. “Thank you so much for agreeing to interview me. I’m really thankful for this opportunity.” </p>
<p>“Of course,” Terese exclaims, glancing over Chloe’s resume. She places it down and takes out a pen and jots something down on a plain piece of paper. She looks up again. “Now, I’m just going to ask you a few questions. Nothing too complicated, so don’t worry. I just want to see if you’re prepared to take on what this job requires you to do. Just relax and answer whatever you think is correct, okay?” </p>
<p>Chloe nods and the interview begins. While her palms are slightly sweating, she’s surprisingly calm. Chloe’s voice comes out steady and confident. After each answer, Terese nods and Chloe thinks she can see a small smile on her red lips. After about 15 minutes, there’s a knock at the door. </p>
<p>“Yes, come in,” Terese calls out before turning back to Chloe. Terese stands and extends a hand and Chloe follows suit, quickly shaking her hand. “Thank you for taking the time to come down here today. We will get back to you soon.” </p>
<p>“Thank you,” Chloe says. “I really appreciate it.” Terese nods and Chloe turns around to exit. </p>
<p>There is a man standing at the door. Chloe pauses in her tracks. “Sweetie, you’re here. This is Chloe, a new potential employee. Chloe, this is my partner, and owner of the hotel, Paul Robinson.” </p>
<p>Chloe continues to stare at him, unable to move. The man glances at her strangely and Chloe sees his mouth move but she barely hears the words. Everything sounds and feels so far away. Chloe feels her heart racing and tears forming in her eyes. She thinks she can hear Terese speaking to her, but her ears feel blocked.  </p>
<p>Why did this man look so familiar? </p>
<p>“Chloe? Are you alright?” Terese words barely register in her mind as Chloe sees visions of a little girl with two people who seem like her parents running around a large backyard. Their faces are blurry and their features barely recognisable. The man grabs the little girl, lifting her up in his arms, the girl squealing and giggling as he swings her high in the air. The mother comes up to them and squeezes them into a hug, all three of them smiling at one another. Chloe can feel more tears spilling down her cheeks and her chest feels heavy, her breathing restricted. The vision slowly fades away, and she’s back in reality again. </p>
<p>She remembers where she is, in an office with basically two strangers. She quickly wipes her tears and turns to Terese. “I’m so sorry. Please forgive me. I just… got a bit overwhelmed by everything. Getting this job is really important to me.”</p>
<p>“Oh, please don’t apologise,” Terese glances at the man quickly before flicking her gaze to Chloe again. “As long as you’re okay, that’s all that matters.” </p>
<p>Chloe plasters a smile on her face, even though she could feel herself breaking on the inside. She didn’t know what was happening, why she was having these weird flashbacks… visions… she didn't even know what to call them. It felt like distant memories, but not her own. She just wanted it all to stop. </p>
<p>“I’m fine,” Chloe reassures her. “Thank you, again.” She doesn’t look at the man again as she quickly dashes out of the office, breathing a deep sigh of relief once she steps inside the empty elevator. </p>
<p>It happened again. The same thing that happened when she first arrived here and met Elly. She’d also been having weird dreams about the same two people throughout the week but she could barely remember them when she woke up in the morning. And these visions… the visions almost felt like memories, but not her own. They felt distant, out of reach, as if she was looking at someone else’s life. But they also felt like they were a part of her. </p>
<p>Chloe sighs and squeezes her eyes shut, trying to rid her brain of her overwhelming thoughts. It’s probably just because she was adjusting to a new environment and everyone around her was close to one another, so she felt like she already knew these people. It was nothing, she told herself over and over. It meant nothing. She had just arrived here. How could she know any of these people? </p>
<p>As she drives home, she rolls down the windows, blasts the radio and sings along, trying not to think about anything.  </p>
<p>
  <b>***</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>1985</b>
</p>
<p>Four weeks. A month. That’s how long her daughter has been gone. Time had seemed to slow down for Lydia, each day dragging on impossibly long, each hour felt like two. </p>
<p>But Lydia’s life hadn’t stopped. She was back at work, after two weeks off, and everything suddenly felt normal again. But it wasn’t normal. Nothing had been normal ever since her daughter had passed away. Ever since that day, a piece of her had been missing. She wasn’t sure if she would ever feel whole again. </p>
<p>Lydia moves around the kitchen, preparing dinner. It’s the first time she has made dinner in a month. Her meals had been exclusively takeout and sometimes homemade meals prepared by Evelyn’s mother; of course that was when she didn’t skip meals. That happened quite often, too. </p>
<p>There’s a knock at the front door. </p>
<p>Lydia thinks about ignoring it and hopes whoever is there will just go away. But then she hears another knock, harder and more insistent. </p>
<p>Lydia sighs, dragging her feet towards the door. She opens it and almost slams it close again. The person on the other side stops her from doing so, placing a strong palm on the other side, forcing her to keep it open. </p>
<p>She never thought she would ever see him again. </p>
<p>“Lydia, wait,” his deep voice rings out from the other side, a shiver going up Lydia’s spine. “I just want to talk to you.”</p>
<p>“I have nothing to say to you,” Lydia snaps. “You shouldn’t even be here.”</p>
<p>“I know,” he says again. “But… after what happened… I needed to see you.” </p>
<p>“Paul, please leave,” Lydia says sternly. “You’re not welcome here.”</p>
<p>“Lyds,” he says, his voice softening. “Please just let me in.”</p>
<p>She shudders at the nickname, the one he used to call her when they were together. That felt like decades ago. </p>
<p>Lydia closes her eyes, as Paul still insists to be let in, his words being drowned out by Lydia’s thoughts of Callie. Would Callie want her to let him in? She wishes her daughter was here, to tell her what the right decision was. Paul had made many mistakes but they had both been young. Lydia had fallen pregnant at 17 and they had married when she was 18 and he was 19. Maybe he had changed… Maybe life was too short to hold grudges… But Paul had hurt her and Callie many times, and now that Callie was gone, Lydia had to carry both their emotions. Her heart is conflicted but Paul’s voice keeps echoing from the other side of the door. He sounds… desperate. </p>
<p>Lydia takes a deep breath, then slowly opens the door, her heart picking up speed. He looks the same as he did 10 years ago, just a bit older. His hair was trimmed shorter now, but he still had those curls that she used to love. He had a suit on, with a briefcase in his left hand. His figure looked slimmer than it used to, the suit just a bit too big on him. His tie was loose, just hanging around the collar of his white shirt. This was the man she used to be in love with, but every single one of those old feelings had disappeared a long time ago. </p>
<p>“Lydia,” Paul says, stepping over the threshold. She takes a few steps back, crossing her arms as if she needed to protect herself from him. </p>
<p>“Paul, what are you doing here?” Lydia asks, surprised at her steady tone. </p>
<p>Paul opens his mouth to say something but then closes it again. He places down his briefcase on the kitchen counter and then turns around to face Lydia. He sighs, bowing his head. Lydia follows his eyes, noticing him playing with the ring on his pinky finger. </p>
<p>“Paul,” Lydia repeats. “I asked you what you’re doing here. If you can’t answer me, I’m going to ask you to leave.” </p>
<p>His head whips up, his eyes finding her face again. “I’m sorry. I should’ve come sooner. I’m sorry for missing the funeral. I just…” Paul sighs, running a hand over his face. “I wasn’t sure if you wanted me there.” </p>
<p>“You’re right,” Lydia speaks honestly. “I didn’t want you there…” Paul nods, as if that was what he was expecting. “But you’re still her father… Callie always had a soft spot for you, even when she was angry at you. You should’ve been there, Paul.”</p>
<p>The guilt washes over Paul’s face and he looks down again, his hand reaching for his ring again. When he looks up, Lydia can see the tears in his eyes. She had never really seen Paul cry before. </p>
<p>“I’m so sorry,” Paul says, his voice shaking. “I’m so sorry for everything.” </p>
<p>Lydia studies the man standing in front of her, the man she used to care for so dearly. Lydia couldn’t forgive him all those years ago and she doesn’t think she can forgive him now. She stays silent. </p>
<p>“Lydia,” Paul whispers, stepping closer to her. She takes another step back. He stops and sighs heavily. “Sorry… I… could I see her room?” </p>
<p>Lydia wasn’t expecting that. A part of her wants to let him but another part of her, the smarter part of her, wants to tell him to leave immediately. But there’s an expression on his face that feels sincere. It’s the most sincere she’s seen him look in years. </p>
<p>He could be just up to his old tricks again, using emotional manipulation. He was good at that. In fact, it was what he was best at. He was never a good husband or a good father, but he was a good manipulator. </p>
<p>“Why?” Lydia demands, crossing her arms over her chest again. </p>
<p>Paul shrugs. “I guess I just want to say goodbye. I didn’t get to do that at the funeral so… Unless you’ve already packed all her things…” </p>
<p>Lydia hesitates for a moment. “I… actually haven’t… I haven’t been in there since…” She knows she should’ve started packing up Callie’s stuff, but she just hadn’t been able to bring herself to do it. </p>
<p>She is staring at the floor now, but she hears him walking closer to her. Lydia felt like she couldn’t move. She lets him wrap his arms around her, Lydia taken aback by how familiar his touch feels. She rests her head on his shoulder, his arms tightening around her. </p>
<p>“Lyds,” Paul whispers. “It’s okay. I’m here now.”</p>
<p>She can feel tears brimming on her eyes, threatening to spill down her cheeks. But she won’t let herself be weak in front of the man who made her feel vulnerable too many times. She gently pushes Paul away, quickly wiping her face with the sleeve of her jumper. </p>
<p>“You can see her room,” Lydia says, trying to keep her voice steady. “Follow me.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i'm back with a new chapter! sorry this update took so long, but i hope you enjoy! important: i changed the tense of the writing from present to past as i just feel more comfortable writing in past tense; hope that's okay and doesn't bother anyone! thank you for reading :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>2018</b>
</p><p>Chloe couldn’t believe it. She had gotten the job. She hadn’t expected to get a call from Terese two days after her interview, and when she picked up the call, she was sure it was going to be a rejection. But no, here she was, a week later, standing in the foyer of Lassiters Hotel, about to start her first day of her new job. </p><p>Chloe had never worked in a place as fancy as this. She felt a little out of place, in her cheap business-esque clothes she had bought from a 50% off sale on the weekend. She figured that some of the guests’ clothes, and even the workers’ uniforms, cost ten times more than her entire outfit. She observed the hustle and bustle in the foyer, guests coming in and out, the porter’s carrying the customers bags, hurrying behind them. </p><p>When Terese came down at exactly 9:00am on the dot, Chloe flashed her a bright smile, even though she was sweating all over, feeling like she was on the edge of a nervous breakdown. Terese quickly explained to Chloe what she would be doing today, and most of it was training, both reading paper work and doing some online training activities. Chloe nodded along and said “yes” when it was necessary. About ten minutes later, Chloe was sitting in Terese’s office, with a large stack of papers and a laptop open in front of her. Terese had left for a meeting so she was alone. Chloe almost felt like it was her own office, which she smiled to herself a bit thinking of the impossible dream of becoming a hotshot manager like Terese. </p><p>Chloe plugged in her earphones, switching on some music. Time passed quickly as she read through lots of information regarding her role, the hotel itself, safety measures, etcetera etcetera etcetera. Chloe would be lying if she said it wasn’t a bit dull; she wanted to get stuck into the real work, but she knew this was necessary. Lunch came and went; Chloe sat alone in the staff room munching on the free meal she had gotten from the hotel cafe, not a single person bothering to speak to her. She did get a few glances; of course she did, she was the new girl and they were just curious human beings after all, so she didn’t blame them. </p><p>After lunch, Chloe returned to Terese’s office and found her sitting at her desk, talking to a man who was sitting opposite her. Chloe stayed by the door until Terese waved her in. The man turned around and Chloe recognised him from the day of her interview. The man (Paul, she remembered his name was) that had seemed so familiar to her, and yet she had no clue as to why</p><p>“How’s your first day going?” Terese asked, as her conversation with the man faded out. </p><p>“It’s great!” Chloe replied, maybe with a little too much enthusiasm. “I’m really enjoying it. Thank you again for this opportunity.”</p><p>Terese shook her head. “It’s absolutely my pleasure. You can just continue with that, okay? I have to head to another meeting now.” Terese gestured towards the still large stack of papers, and stood up, gathering a few things, before following Paul out the door. Paul gave her a quick nod, before they both left. </p><p>Chloe felt her insides twist again and she didn’t know if it was her stomach trying to digest the burger she had for lunch or if it was something else. She shook her head, forgetting about it, and continued with her work. </p><p>When the day concluded, Chloe had managed to complete all the required paperwork and activities too. Tererse commended her on her dedication and praised her on her high scores for the activities. Chloe had felt proud of herself for the first time in a very long time. </p><p>As soon as Chloe got home, she collapsed onto the couch. She was exhausted. Even though she hadn’t done much today, the mental energy she had used had tired her entire body out. The house was quiet, still empty as everyone was either still at work, or in David’s case, had just started his shift. Chloe considered preparing dinner for herself, but she was not bothered. She couldn’t wait for Mark (who was the usual chef around here) to get home either, so she googled the number of the closest pizza restaurant and ordered a medium vegetarian. </p><p>After she had eaten half the pizza, putting the rest in the fridge, she headed towards the bathroom. In the shower, the hot, steaming water relaxed her tense muscles and the scent of her lavender soap made her feel even more sleepy. </p><p>As Chloe drifted off to sleep that night, she fell into another weird dream. </p><p>
  <b>1982</b>
</p><p>Evelyn had never been this nervous for a first date. Then again, she had never been on a date with a woman before. She glanced around the complex of the cinema, taking note that it was mostly families and couples (straight, of course, unless the non-straight ones were just disguised as best friends) here on a Friday night. She took a few breaths, taking in the scent of fresh buttery popcorn, trying to calm her nerves, as she waited for Callie to arrive. It was 7:05pm and they had agreed to meet at 7:00pm. Evelyn wondered if Callie had stood her up; it was only 5 minutes but to Evelyn, it felt like a lifetime and she was sure she had gotten ditched. That was one thing about Evelyn - she always jumped to the worst conclusions whenever something didn’t go according to plan. She glanced at her watch again. The hands told her that it was 7:09 now. Evelyn sighed, beginning to fidget with the sleeves of her denim jacket. </p><p>Then she heard a familiar voice greet her from behind. She turned and there Callie was, flashing Evelyn the brightest smile, a smile that maybe could outshine the sun itself. </p><p>“I’m so sorry, Evelyn!” Callie exclaimed, walking closer to the brunette. “My car broke down and I had to get my dad to drop me off. Have you been waiting long?”</p><p>Evelyn breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that Callie wasn’t late on purpose. She shook her head. “No, not long.” It was a bit of a lie, she had been here for almost 20 minutes, but all that mattered is that Callie was here now and wow, she looked beautiful. Callie had her hair out, straightened and slicked back on the sides. She was wearing light blue denim jeans, which she had paired with a light pink crop top and white Reeboks. Her makeup was light and made her skin glow. Evelyn let her eyes linger on Callie’s plump lips, which were painted a bright shade of pink, for a second too long, before Callie noticed, and Evelyn quickly turned her head. Callie smirked as she noticed, a natural blush spreading across Evelyn’s cheeks. </p><p>They had decided on the cinema as their first date, after weeks of talking to each other and smiling at each other whenever one of them walked into class. Callie had asked first, Evelyn too scared to propose the idea. Evelyn wasn’t even sure if Callie was into girls, as people rarely spoke about their sexuality out loud. If you were gay or bisexual or something else, it was only something you shared with other people who were like you, otherwise it was a secret. Evelyn hated that it had to be this way; before she had left the house, she told her mother she was hanging out with a friend, which of course wasn’t a total lie, Callie was her friend, but this was a proper date, like her brother would have with a different girl every week. Evelyn had never talked about boys much, so if her family thought she was still straight, that was on them. </p><p>They had decided on the movie E.T., which seemed to be the most popular tonight, as almost all of the seats were already booked. They had managed to snag two seats, towards the back of the cinema, and they squeezed past people’s knees, whispering ‘excuse me’ and ‘oh, sorry’ as they passed. As soon as they sat down, the lights in the cinema went down, the big screen displaying the company’s logo. </p><p>Callie glanced at Evelyn’s profile, lit up in a blue hue by the screen. It had been a while since Callie had opened her heart to anyone, ever since it had gotten ripped out of her chest and stomped on by the person she thought loved her. Callie had only known Evelyn for a few weeks, and yet, there was something about Evelyn that Callie felt like she had known her for her whole life. And as Evelyn noticed Callie looking, giving Callie a warm smile, before turning her attention back to the screen, Callie thought that maybe she was ready to open her heart again.</p>
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